Prevalence of ABO and RhD blood group phenotypes in the Croatian population and in patients with severe COVID-19 in Croatia.

Background: The aim of this study was to determine the distribution of ABO and RhD blood group phenotypes in the general population in the Republic of Croatia and among hospitalized patients with severe COVID-19.

Materials And Methods: Data on ABO and RhD blood groups of all blood donors in Croatia (who donated blood during the period 2015-2020) and patients and pregnant women tested at the Croatian Institute of Transfusion Medicine during the 2-year period, 2019-2020, were obtained from the e-Delphyn blood bank information system. A total of 614,673 results were analyzed in this group.

D variants in the population of D-negative blood donors in the north-eastern region of Croatia.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine RHESUS D GENE (RHD) allelic variants among Croatian D-negative blood donors and compare our results with respective data from other European countries.

Background: Altered or reduced D antigen expression can result in D variants, which can be mistyped and can lead to the alloimmunisation of the blood recipient. RHD genotyping can distinguish D variants: weak D, partial D and DEL, thus preventing alloimmunisation.